Gerard Butler tells Leno watching the Mavericks wave come at him was like a 'tsunami coming'

Scottish actor Gerard Butler talks with people on East Cliff Drive as the crew filming 'Of Men and Mavericks' prepares to shoot a reenactment of the Jay Moriarity memorial paddle out at Pleasure Point on Friday. Butler is playing the role of surfer Rick ?Frosty? Henson, Moriarity?s mentor. The surf movie is being directed Curtis Hanson, the man behind ?L.A. Confidential? and ?8 Mile?

Actor Gerard Butler told Jay Leno on the Tonight Show it was like a "tsunami coming" when he got clobbered and held under water by a set of waves at Maverick's last month.

Butler said he was with three of the best surfers in the world, including Peter Mel, Zach Wormhoudt and Greg Long, who told him to "paddle" when it happened.

He said "it was one of the most lonely, scary experiences" as he was held under for 40 seconds by the first wave and then hit by another.

Butler, the star of the upcoming movies "Of Men and Mavericks", said he got a taste of the true danger of big-wave surfing from the set of giant waves while shooting a scene at Maverick's. He acknowledged Hawaiian surfer Sion Milosky who died there last year and the bravery of those who surf the big waves at Maverick's.

They were steering clear of a set of waves in the 15-foot range when a much larger set loomed and broke in front of the four of them, Wormhoudt, a Santa Cruz resident, said after the incident.

Butler, 42, was held under water for two waves and washed through the inside rocks.

Wormhoudt, who has been surfing Maverick's for about 20 years, said it was a memorable hold down for him, as well.

"It was probably the biggest set of the day," Wormhoudt said last month. "It was intense for myself and I've been through a lot out there."

The movie, about Santa Cruz surfer Jay Moriarity, is scheduled to be released in October.